Electrical signaling system.



J. G. NOLEN.

' BLEGTRIGAL SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB: 2} 1903.

922,320, Patented May 18, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. G. NOLEN. ELECTRICAL SIGNALING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2,1903.

Patented May 18, 1909.

2 SHEETS-$313111 2v lllllTEU PATEN FITEQE JAMES G. NOLEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOIl OF ONE-HALFTO FRANK B. COOK, @F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18,1909.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that 1, JAMES NonEN, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain new-and useful Improvement in Electrical Signaling Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signaling systems adapted more fire alarms.

pparatus, a normally clos circuit is ema p oyed, and this circuit when automatically opened by a rise in temperature causes a signal to be given at a local or distant point. Prior to my invention, fire alarm apparatus of this character has beenopen to many objections, among which was the impossibility of distinguishing between a true alarm of fire and an accidental break in one of the circuit vconductore.

In apparatus of this character, it has been usual to employ thermostatic devices which would automatically open the circuit, so as to causes. signal to be transmitted to the desired point a simple break or rupture at circuit would reduce a signal of the sainie character, and in this wa-v the fire depart-\- ments have been frequently made to respond nal was difficulties, and in order to teen alarm of fire, only to find "that the sig'-, roduced by an accidental break or rupture m the circuit, and thatno fire one a whole may include a signal receiving doisted, v

' New in order to overcome the foregoing revent the giving of false fire alarms, l provi e an arrangement whereby the operation of a thermostat and a breaking of a line or circuit conductor will produce signals-so different in characterthat the operator or attendant at the station where the signals are received can easily dieti'nguish. between them. This of course can be accomplished in various Ways, but as a simple and effective arrangement for carrying out this broad aspect of my invention, 1

i .With these thermostat which, when operated, do not permanently open the circuit, but which, when efiectedby heat, merely open and then instantly. close the said circuit,

devices which breakand-inake the circuit, I employ .asignal transmitting device which is capable of transprovide thermostats mitting two distinct signals, one to indicate in which and the the presence of fire in the build or the thermostat devices are locate other to indicate merely'a break or rupture.

r'arator or attendant at the particularly for use in giving the fire department if the In a certain type of fire alarm :But obviously, any point in a side elevation of the device shown nails, one a true alarm of re; and the other .two distinct sigindicating merely a break in one of the cir- Withthis arrangement, the op: signal receiving cuit wires.

station can notif signal indicates re, and can alsonotlfytbe proper persons if'the signal indicates aibreak in one of the circuit conductors. Thus the operator or attendant at the signal receiving station is not only in a position toreceive alarms of fire, but also to maintain a certain supervision over the system, so as to insure the making of repairs in the systemas soon as necessary. f

In the accom anying drawings: Figure 1, is a diagrani'iliiistrating an' automatic fire alarm system embodyingthe principles of F' .-I shows asignal-receivmy invention.

shows a. current at the proved thermostatfor producing thebroahandeinake action inlthc circuit.

in Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a front elevation of the signal transmitting mechanism; Fig. 5, is a side elevation of the signal transmitting 11secllaniss'n.i

Referring to Figs. 1 and 1, the system as viccjA, located at a distant station, and also a battery B, which is also preferably located at the signal receivin station. The line Fig. 3, is a conductors 1 and 2 pre erably lead from the signal receivingstation to the signal transmitting mechenismxC, which latter is located in the substation or building which it is desired to rotect against fire. This signal transmitting device or mechanism preferably includesnan insulated binding post 0,

to which the line conductor 1 is connected, and which is in turn electrically connected r by i the conductor 0 with the insulated sprinn contact finger c. This contact finger and the rotary contact disk 0 electrically con-- testing with the casing constitute the make and-break device for transmitting the signal over the line circuit to the signal receiving station. The other line conductor 2 leads to a similar binding casing, which is in turn connected with the electro-magnet 0 The other terminal of this magnet is coected to another binding its post 0 insulated from the post 0" which. is in electrical connection with the casing. The armature c of this magnet normally maintains the clock work of the signal receiving device in a wound-up eondition, by reason of its projection c engaging the in c on the wheel 0 A 100 ring lever c is adapted to engage and hold the armature in a depressed condition when thelatter is pulled down. by the electro-magnet.

observed, is in the nature of a call box, is provided with a pair of projections 0 and 0, adapted to successively en age the upper the electro-inagnet by the normally-closed shunt D, having its terminals connected to Y the two binding posts 0* and c.

Cir

by a conductor e are mounted respectively on the binding posts The signal transmitting device or mechanism C is preferably termed a master box, and is locate in any suitable part-of thebuilding to be protected. The shunt D is then arran ed to extend through the different parts of t e building,.and is provided at different points, say in the different rooms of the uilding, with the thermostatic break-andmake devices E. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it. will be seen that each of these im roved thermostats consists preferably of a ase e, upon which are mounted the two binding posts a and c shunt conductor are joined to these binding posts at the under side of. the base, preferably as shown in Fig. 3. If made of metal, the said base is preferably insulated from the two binding posts. Upon the two osts are mounted the spiral or semi spira -shaped mica springs e and 6 each having its end provided with a copper or other metallic tip a. The two tips are normally soldered together by the fusible material 6", and each metallic tip is connected to a binding post Metal contacts e and e e and e and arranged above and below the soldered joint or union between'the two When'the" two tips are thus soldered.

tips. together, the'two mica s rings are under more or less tension. en connected in the shunt .ci'rcuit, as shown in Fig. 1, the

-metal ti s and solder of each thermostat Now as the solder ofeach are in the circuit. thermostat is preferably capable of fusing at a temperature above the normal, say at 1.25 Fahrenheit, it follows that the melting of the solder at any point, and the consequent giving away of the joint, will cause a break in the shunt circuit. And this is not all. The break in the circuit is instantly followed The crank shaft'c of this signal transmitting device, which, it will-be The end portions of the- .and has in this wa by the closing of the circuit, inasmuch as the tips of the two mica sprin s are instantly,

that the building in which the signal transmitting mechanism and the thermostats are located catches fire and one of the thermostats is operated. The momentary break in the shunt circuit is sufficient to throw the current into the coils of the electro-magnet,

and thereby cause the latter to attract its armature. The saidarmature when attracted releases the spring-operated clock-,

work of the signal transmitting device, and the rotation of the disk 0 then'produces a make-and-break action in the lme circuit. This makeand-break action, which is of the usual characterthat is to say, which is of the character usually produced by an ordinary call box, results in the transmitting of a signal over the line circuit to the station at which the signal-receiving device A is located. When thearmature is pulled down by'the ma' et, the spring pressed locking lever c is t rown over until its lower end is in the path of 'the armature. Thus the .armature is locked down until the'lprojection le spring, asses over theprojeotion c of the lockingc, which is inthe nature of a flexi ever, thereb -throwing the lower end of the latter out an releasing the armature. When 'thus released, the armature-is free to rise,

inasmuch as the thermostat which started the operatiomhas a ain closed the circuit,

Thus, as soon as re eased. the armature rises, and itsprojection 0* again engages the pin 0 on the rotarywheel 0 In this way, the

normal action of one of the thermostats produces merely a momentary or instantaneous energizingof the magnet, allowing the armature to rise and prevent the wheel 0 from making more than a predetermined number of revolutions or turns. mined extent of .mak-a'nd-bre'ak actionon the part of the. mztkaand-break device in the This pr'edeter deenergized the magnet.

Suppose now that one of comes broken or ruptured at some point, the a break in the shunt circuit will then throw the current in the normally closed line circuit through the coils of the 'electro-magnet, and in this wa start the operation of the clockwork in t e call box or signal transmitting device, substantially in the manner already described. But the balance of the operation is entirely different. When the projection strikes the upper end of the locking lever, it throws thesald lever-out of engagement with the armature, but inasmuch as the shunt is still open and the magnet still energized, the armature cannot rise, and the clock-work is permitted to run on and con- I tinuethe transmission of the signal. This continued or extendedmake-and-break action continues until the operation of the clock-work comes to a termination by reason of'projection throwing the lever 0 over to its limit of movement where "it may stop 15 further movement of the rejection 0". so that when the break in the ine is closed thearinature rises at-once, and when themotor is subsequently wound the parts are all condi-tioned for functional operation, with the armature unlocked and m raised position.

Thus the call box or signal transmittin device is given" a limited or relatively sma extent. of o eration when a'thermostat is operated, andhsgiven a continuous or practically unlimited operation when a break or rupture occurs in one ofthe shunt wires or conductors. This,-as explained, produces two signals so ,diflerent in character that the operator or attendant-at the signal receiving station has no difliculty whatever in distinguishin between them.

ythe use of mica springs inthe thermostats, the same are rendered much more sensitive, it being impossible for the heatnecessary to melt the solderto be conducted from the latter through the springs to the body or base of the device. I In other words, the heat is concentrated at a point where it is needed to melt the solder, and cannot be 40 conducted away; from this oint by any other parts of the device. T us, as stated, thethermostats are rendered much more sensitive than would be the case with metallic s rings."

T e call box or signal transmitting device O can beof any suitable,.known or a proved character. For exam le, it may be constructed as shown in Figs. 4and 5, this form, as far as the general construction is concerned,

being one-that is known and used at the res.-

ent time.- In this box, the power 0 the s ring F is transmittedto the rotary contact isk a through the medium of the ear wheels and pinions constitutin the 0100 -work H.

'55 The arrangement invo ves, of course, the

ordinary esca ement h. The wheel 0 previously descri ed, is of course an additional element or feature of this call box, and is also driven by the said spring and clock-work. The other additional elements or features, such as the armature, magnet, locking lever,

and unlocking devices havebeen previously,

described and need no further explanation-'- Thus it will be seen that while-my improved fire alarm system is in accordance with cersuch character that a break or rupture in the circuit conductor cannot be mistaken for an alarm of fire.

What claim as my invention 1s: 1. In an automatic fire alarm system, a

- normally wound transmitter adapt-ed to transmit a plurality of signals, means, in eluding an electro-magnet, for controlling the transmitter to condition it to send a long signal when the mag'netic conditions of the electro-magnet are varied from normal for a long interval, and to condition said transmitter to send a shorter signal when the magnetic condition of themagn'et is varied and restored, a signal receiving device, circuit connections between the make-andbreak devices of the-transmitter and the receiving device, a break-and-make thermostat, and suitable connections forsaid thermostat whereby it operates when actuated to vary and instantly restore to normal the ma netic condition of the transmitter-control ing elect'ro-magnet. I

2. In an automatic fire alarm system, a normally closed circuit including the makeand-break device of a motor-driven signal transmitter, the signal transmitter, a signal receiver, a battery, and a thermostatic device for breaking and immediately'reclosing the circuit, an electro-magnetic transimttercontrolling device arranged to condition the 'signal transmitter for sending a long signal when the magnet is continuously energized andfor sending a short signal when momentarily energized, and circuit connections for said electrO-magnetic device wholly shunting the portion of the circuit including the thermostatic devices, whereby its magnetic condition is controlled by the condition of. the thermostat. I

3. In an automatic fire alarm system, a main circuit, a supervisory circuit, normally shunting a portion of the main circuit, a sig iial transmitter hav'in electro magnetic controllin means whoIly included in' theportion 0 the main circuit shunted'by the f su erv'isory circuit, said transmitter being,

a apted to transmit one'signal uponthe break-and-make. of the supervisory circuit and another signal upon the continued break of the supervisory circuit, and a thermostat o crating to break and immediately reclose t e'su ervisoiy circuit.

4. 11 an automatic source of current su ply, a signal-receivn g lns'trument, a signa transmitting instru-' ment, electro-magnetic means for controlling said transmitting instrument, said transmit:-v ting instrument being I adapted to transmit its characteristic signal .a predetermined number of times when the magnetic condition.

of the controlling electro magnet'is varied fire a-larm'hystem, .a

from normal and thenrestored tonormal, and to transmlt its character1st1c signal. a d fferent number of tunes when the magnetic condition of the electro magnet is varied 5 from normal and malntalned 1n such varied condition, a line circuit including the source of current suppl the signal receiving instrument, the signa transmltter, and the trans nutter-controlling electro-magnet, a circuit wholly shunting the ,transnntter controlling electro-magnet, and a'thermostat m the said shunt circuit adapted when actuated to var and subsequently restore the. shunt ClICUlt: and thereby vary and restore the magnetic 1-5 conditlon of the transmitter-controlling elec tro-magnet, 5. Ina signal ng system, the comblnation O a slgnal receiving device, a signal transmitting mechanism suitably connected with said device said mechanism being adapted to transmit a short signal in case of fire and a long signal in case of a break in a circuit cone 4 ductor,.'said mechanism involving normally wound clock-workand a releasing magnet,

means for supplying current through the line circuit, said circuit being normally closed, the coils of said magnet wholly constituting a part of said circuit, a normally closed shunt extending around the coils of said. magnet, a plurality of break-and make thermostats in said shunt, the said signal transmitting mechanism comprisin also means adapted for automatically'locklng and unlocking said armature, whereby the said normally Wound 7 95 the extent of operation in case of lire; but i clock-lwork is permitted to release and limit whereby said clock-work is released and allowed to run down in case of a break in one of.

the shuntconductors and means for supplymg the signallng current being located at the central station, Whereby'there is a normally charged circuit-"containing thesignal initiat- 

